Web vacuuming apparatus



May 24, 1966 A. v. ALEXEFF WEB VACUUMING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 30, 1965 ATTORNEYS n 2 m T N A w w W.

P 6 W 4 n Q m L, fl A Y B km .IIL HL fil l huM y 4, 1966 A. v. ALEXEFF 3,252,177

WEB VACUUMING APPARATUS Filed April 30, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5/ 3/ 26 1 K 50 61% 1 E l Q 7/ INVENTOR I Alexander VAZexef'f 3,252,177 WEB VACUUMING APPARATUS Alexander V. Alexetf, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Industrial Ovens, Incorporated, Cleveland, Ohio, :1 corporation of Ohio Filed Apr. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 276,884 3 Claims. (Cl. 15306) This invention relates to the coating and drying of webs and particularly to apparatus for removing unwanted matter or excess deposits from fabric webs or the like. In one particular application, the invention is useful in apparatus for removing excess deposits of latex from latex-dipped fabric used in the manufacture of tires.

In such applications, which are exemplified in US. Patent 2,700,366, a vacuum head is provided having a vacuum slot presented to the passing web. The vacuum slot tends to be clogged with the matter removed from the web. This removed matter may comprise excess coating material, for example, excess latex removed from tire v cord fabric which has been dip coated in a latex bath.

These mechanisms are complicated and interfere with uniform suction and laminar flow along the length of the slot, so that gum streaks are not completely eliminated, which is one purpose of apparatus of this type.

The present invention provides an improved apparatus for vacuuming unwanted matter from a passing web where continuous cleaning of the vacuum slot is accomplished without use of a cleaning knife and where there is no interference with air flow within the vacuum hood or chamber. According to the present invention both edges of the vacuum slot may be cleaned continuously not only along their edges but also on their inner and outer sides adjacent their edges. The width of the slot opening may be easily adjusted, and no timers are required to control back and forth movement of a cleaning knife.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of apparatus embodying the invention shown in association with a segment of a vertically moving Web.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus and web segment seen in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a'sectional view taken on the plane of line 3-3 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary section taken on the plane of line 4-4 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary enlargement of a portion of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of the portion of the apparatus shown at the left end of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 7 is asection taken below the section shown in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 illustrates the entrainment of the gears shown in FIGURES 6 and 7.

The drawings show a passing web 10 from which unwanted matter is to be vacuumed. A vacuum head is provided which comprises a vacuum chamber 11 (FIG- URE 3) which is defined by stationary walls 12. Means United States Patent iceis provided for exhausting the chamber 11 and the exhausting means includes an exhaust duct 13 (FIGURES 1-3) which leads to suitable exhaust pumps (not shown).

'The vacuum chamber and/or exhaust duct may be provided with clean-out doors, as shown.

The vacuum chamber is provided with a vacuum slot 15 located for presentation to the passing web. The side edges of the vacuum slot 15 comprise endless bands 21 and 22. The endless bands 21 and 22 overlay a vacuum mouth 23 which is defined by the stationary wall means 12. The endless bands 21 and 22 are exterior to the stationary wall means 12. v

A drive is provided for moving the endless bands 21 and 22 whereby the side edges of the slot move along the direction of the slot.

The endless band 21 is trained around sheaves 25 and Z6; and the endless band 22 is trained around sheaves 27 and 28-. The sheaves 25 and 27 are driven in opposite directions of rotation so that the bands 21 and 22 move in opposite directions along the slot at opposite sides of the slot. This is desirable to prevent the moving tapes from pulling the fabric sideways as it passes the vacuuming station should there be contact between the tapes and the fabric.

Each of the bands 21 and 22 moves past suitable scraping means. In the illustrated embodiment each band is provided with its own scraper 30. The scraper associated with the band 22 is shown in detail in FIGURE 4 and may include a pair of adjustable scraper blades 31.

The stationary wall 12 that defines the vacuum mouth is preferably recessed so that the moving blades 21 and 22 are inset as shown in FIGURE 5 to thereby provide a relatively smooth face to the passing web. To reduce friction, there may be a slight spacing between the-passing bands 21 and 22 and the associated stationary wall 12, or there may merely be a sliding contact as indicated in the drawings.

The particular drive means may comprise a motor 35, and a speed reducer 36 which .powers a gear train included within a gear box 37. The sheave 25 is driven in a first rotative direction through the linkage which includes the gears 41 and 42 and the shaft 43. The sheave 27 is driven in the opposite rotative direction through the linkage which includes the gears 44, 45, and 46 and the sleeve or hub assembly 47.

The two endless bands may be replaced by a single endless band having forward and return reaches, each passing along one side of the vacuum slot. However it presently appears that the elaboration necessary for entraining the single band so that it is laterally displaced from itself in its backward and forward movement along the slot does not outweigh the advantage of eliminating a two-direction power drive linkage such as that shown in FIGURES 6-8.

The invention is not restricted to the slavish imitation of each and every one of the details described above which have been set forth merely by way of example with the intent of most clearly setting forth the teaching of the invention. Obviously devices may be provided which change, eliminate or add certain specific structural details without departing from the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A vacuum head for vacuuming unwanted matter from a passing web comprising a vacuum chamber, means presentation to the passing web and opening from the exterior to the interior of the vacuum chamber, the side edges of the slot comprising endless band means, drive means for moving the endless band means whereby the side edges of the slot move along the slot, and means for removing matter deposited on theendless band means.

2. A device as in claim 1 in which the vacuum cham-.

her is defined by stationary wall means having a vacuum mouth, and the endless band means is exterior to said stationary'wall means and over said vacuum mouth.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 including means for driving the endless band means at opposite sides of the vacuum slot in opposite directions along the slot.

No references cited.

ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A VACUUM HEAD FOR VACUUMING UNWANTED MATTER FOR A PASSING WEB COMPRISING A VACUUM CHAMBER, MEANS FOR EXHAUSTING THE CHAMBER, A VACUUM SLOT SLOT LOCATED FOR PRESENTATION TO THE PASSING WEB AND OPENING FROM THE EXTERIOR TO THE INTERIOR OF THE VACUUM CHAMBER, THE SIDE EDGES OF THE SLOT COMPRISING ENDLESS BAND MEANS, DRIVE 